I am a member of Cornerstone, a group of forty or so right leaning Conservative backbenchers. Not only am I a member, I am co-ordinating the compilation of a policy discussion document, written by individual Cornerstone members, to be submitted to David Cameron as part of the policy review process.

The reason why I am a member of Cornerstone really follows on from yesterday’s blog.

I didn’t come into politics to be in opposition. I am frustrated every minute of every day watching disastrous government policies bringing society and the country to its knees.

It is alarming that 62% of people feel that no political party represents their views.

When I talk to people, I find that everyone wants strong positive law and order policies, policies which mean business and create a no nonsense environment. People want life to mean life; they want more prison places and more police on the streets. They want drugs off the streets and out of our schools, and they want loud and clear messages which state this.

They want police to have authority again, like they used to, and not be glorified pen pushers, and they want the law to be on the side of the victim and the civilian. They want to see a police officer walk down their street on a regular basis even if that street is suburbia because everyone knows visible policing is the unbeatable deterrent.

Everyone I talk to, secular or not, recognises the role of faith within society. I have never met a parent with a child in state school who didn’t wish the church had a school in their area. Every parent knows a good faith school provides the best education, acknowledged by the fact that parents move house, go to church weekly and jump through virtual hoops to get their child into one. Faiths lay down the moral markers within which societies function, people respect that.

The majority of people want the stability and security of marriage and the family. It is not wrong or discriminatory ever to say that the ideal environment for a child to be brought up in is with a loving mum and a dad. However, it is also right to acknowledge that not everyone conforms to this lifestyle and that a happy society is a tolerant one.

Almost every person I meet over thirty five wants to go back to the NHS which cared. When nursing was a vocation. When it was the patient who was important and not the target.

Everyone wants inheritance tax to be abolished, thinks it’s an unfair tax. Do you know anyone who doesn’t want to keep more of what they earn? Do you know anyone who thinks their taxes are being well spent?

Have you met anyone recently who runs a small business who isn’t in despair?

People want to shut our borders until we know who is here and for how long. After all, how many genuine asylum seekers are there?

People are sick of Europe, European laws and rulings - and are fed up with how much money we pour into the European Union each day, whilst at the same time handing out redundancy notices to nurses and doctors.

I have never met a single person or doctor who thinks that £36billion on an NHS computer system was money well spent.

Do you know anyone who doesn’t think defence of the nation is important?

All the time, I meet people who think and feel much the same as I do, so why do so many people feel un-represented by a political party?

How hard is it to take what the majority of people want and turn those wants into policies?

If the Conservative Party is ever to be in power again, it’s something we need to learn to do sooner rather than later.

The members of Cornerstone seem to me to be the only MPs talking the language of the people. So there you go, I’m out, bring it on……

Can I ask if you agree with Edward Leigh's criticisms of David Cameron in House Magazine as listed on Conservative Home?

Nadine said:

Responded: Monday, 12 February 2007

I'll have a look and let you know!

John Moss said:

Responded: Monday, 12 February 2007

Can I contribute?
I believe Cornerstone too often harks back to the status quo ante and doesn't draw enough on the very obvious evidence based case for genuine right-liberal reforms in health, education, welfare etc.

Philip said:

Responded: Tuesday, 13 February 2007

Nadine, you are a lovely woman, but this really is nonsense.
Do you think people 'go through hoops' because they want their children indocrinated with whatever faith is running the nearest good school. Do you think they go to church on Sunday to avoid listening to 'Broadcasting House' or 'Parky' ? All they are interested in are the exam results. 'Life should mean life' is just populism. I suspect if it were on the cards you would say 'hang 'em and flog 'em as well.
This is tosh, and you need to listen to an excellent piece which Justin Webb filed from the US of A, angola prison, where lifers who are suffering from liver cancer cannot go home to die with their families, but are instead locked up, with their tumours, to make their own coffins in the wood work shop.
By all means have more 'bobbies on the beat', but don't let us pretend that having more faith schools [King Fahad academy, anyone?] is a solution. It will just create more problems.
Sorry, but this just sounds like pandering to the imbeciles that read 'The Sun', 'Daily Mail' and pratts like Richard Littlejohn. You are better than this.

Nadine said:

Responded: Tuesday, 13 February 2007

Philip,
I am not suggesting for one moment that lifers make their own coffins! Honesty in sentencing would be good though, for society as a whole and the victim.So would effective drug re-hab and the end of the revolving door scenario.Proper housing and support on discharge for the first years probation to prevent recidivism..... the big problem though is how to mend, as identified by IDS, 'Breakdown Britain'and stem the decline into crime in the earliest stages

Praguetory said:

Responded: Thursday, 15 February 2007

I love Philip's comment. You are a lovely woman and I am going to utterly misrepresent you - how disingenuous.